1. Field of Invention
Embodiments of the invention relate generally to mouth and throat hygiene, and more specifically, to apparatuses and methods used to cleanse the tonsils and upper throat areas of a mouth.
2. Background
During the normal course of life, food particles can collect in a person's mouth during the process of chewing and swallowing food. These food particles collect around the teeth and the person can remove them to some degree by brushing and flossing the teeth. Some of these food particles can become caught in the folds and fissures or crypts of the tonsils and are not removed during normal teeth hygiene, i.e., brushing and flossing teeth. Mucous and saliva, as well as tissue sloughed from the tonsil itself, can also become caught in the fissures or crypts of the tonsils.
All of these deposits; food, mucous, saliva, etc., generally referred to herein as “debris,” can remain lodged in the structures of the tonsils and can present sites for bacteria to grow. This condition is undesirable; it can contribute to Halitosis and can present a problem to the person's health.
Tonsil and throat tissue are very sensitive to touch and the area of the mouth that includes the back of the throat where the tonsils are located is protected from invasion by foreign objects through the body's “gag” reflex. The gag reflex can present a problem to cleansing this area.
Medical evidence suggests that cleaning tonsils may reduce the rate of recurrent tonsillitis. However, it is often difficult for a person to locate the tonsils. A person's gag reflex makes insertion of washing instrumentation difficult. This can present a problem.
A commercially available product, the Grossan Hydro Pulse® System, which is designed to clean the back of the Tongue and tonsils, can stimulate the gag reflex in people when used to clean the back of the Tongue, the rear Throat areas, and the tonsils. This can present a problem.